Some people automatically equate innovation with mobile technologies, and understandably so. After all, many of what were once upon a time considered trivial, everyday tasks are now easily accomplished at the push of a button and swipe of a finger. In fact, it’s gotten to the point where mobile apps are created specifically for the purpose of helping people unplug. In similar fashion, the ‘Wander, Wonder, Wilderness’ project is now seeking funding via Kickstarter to help people use technology in order to better interact with Mother Nature.
Wander, Wonder, Wilderness is an autobiographical documentary created by Paul Turano, a New England native, about his adventures meandering through the wooded countryside and explores the relationships between the general public and outdoor life. Urban parks also play a major part in his examinations and the impact they ultimately have on cities and their residents.
But Turano decided that a documentary alone simply isn’t equipped enough to provide people the incentive to get outside. Given the public’s collective affinity for mobile devices and accompanying apps, he realized that despite his want for people to get themselves off the grid if only for a moment’s time, he needs to include technological components as a way of ushering people out the door.
To that end, he’s trying to create a mobile app of his own and interactive website that all link together so that people can equally digest the documentary, share their own stories and experiences, and encourage an even deeper understanding about the beauty and serenity of the environment.
“The film explores my experiences with green spaces throughout greater Boston, while the mobile app puts a creative opportunity into the hands of our participants,” Turano told BostInno in an email. “The mobile app provides bi-weekly prompts that encourage users to visit a nearby green space, spend some time on a creative, contemplative, an nature immersive experience, and then document it with image, text or sound and either share it to the project’s website.”
So basically it works as thus: The documentary is meant to stir conversation about the outdoors, the app is meant to aggregate personal tales and applicable media, and the website is meant to be a digital exhibit of sorts, showcasing the contributions by those who have put the first two to use.
On Kickstarter, Turano is aiming for a $10,000 goal, having scraped together $1,395 from six backers to date, still leaving him with 30 days to achieve it.
The money will be used to test and refine the app, build the website to include maps, timelines and other media, as well as creating an education version of the triple-faceted project that could be used at either the high school or college levels. He also foresees it being used providing information about specific destinations and points of interest, though that’s not an immediate concern.
Turnao noted on his Kickstarter page that the funding will be broken down as follows:
- Website developer for interactive galleries of user content – $2,000
- Mobile app refinements for full version release – $4,000
- Purchase of mobile technology for classroom use of the app – $2,000
- Educational workshops for regional schools – $2,000 ($250 creates the opportunity to do comprehensive presentations with a location based learning exercise for two classes at a local high school)
Featured image via Paul Turano
